The Next Generation

The latest in military hardware, the Raptor, debuts today and it's one sexy warbird. It looks like something out of Star Wars, doesn't it?

Of greater interest to those not as enamored of aircraft as I am though is the comment section to this post. There's an enlightening discussion between a Marine trying to fight the ground war in Iraq and the blogger, who appears to be an Air Force officer.

The exchange reinforced my contention the troops on the ground in Iraq are underequipped. I could also understand the Marine's frustration at having to fight a ground war without the right equipment while the flyboys got such a cool new and very expensive toy that might be good for something someday but was not an essential expenditure right now.

I would have left my comment on the milbloggers site but it was one of those where my username has to be my private email address and I've never been able to change it, so I posted my comment at Acidman's blog instead since he pointed me there in the first place.

An equally interesting thread has developed on that post, along the same lines. I have to say I still agree with the ground guys. Sinking millions into this plane, tres cool as it is, is sort of like spending every cent in your pocket on gardening supplies in January instead of filling your heating fuel tanks first.